Drug overdose deaths in Michigan continue to increase and a state task force has offered dozens of recommendations to combat the growing problem.

Among the more than two-dozen recommendations from the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force’s report is closer scrutiny of physicians prescribing powerful painkillers like OxyContin, Vicodin and Fentanyl.

Livingston County Undersheriff Michael Murphy said strengthening the law isn’t the necessarily the answer.

“If I could wave my magic wand and had a bunch of money to throw at the problem, I’d put my money in parenting classes,” he said. “As a general rule, if kids are brought up right and have good support structure and good mentors, people they can count on, we never see them. That’s where the money needs to be spent.

“There’s already laws in place to prevent doctors from writing bogus prescriptions, but guess what? They do,” added the former DARE officer. “I really truly believe that’s the answer, but it’s not the cops trying to talk to the kids or the teachers. It’s the parents’ job. When you opt to have a child, your 100 percent focus should be on that child, raising that child proper. I don’t have all the answers, but that’s where you need to start.”

More than 30 people died in Livingston County in 2014 as a result of a drug-related overdose, according to statistics compiled by the local probation office.

That figure has steadily climbed each year since 2011, when 11 overdoses occurred.

The governor formed the task force, led by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, in June to examine the recent trends, evaluate strategic options and develop a statewide action plan by fall.

Painkillers are powerful opioids that are highly addictive, and opioid dependence affects millions of people in the United States. Prescribed opioids can lead to the use of highly addictive and dangerous illegal substances, especially heroin, experts say.

Michigan ranks 10th nationally in per-capita prescription rates of opioid pain relievers and 18th in the nation for all overdose deaths.

Creating a public awareness campaign about the dangers of prescription drug use and abuse and how people can get help for themselves or family members.

Increasing training for law enforcement in recognizing and dealing with addiction for those officers who do not deal directly with narcotics regularly.

Considering pilot programs for the development of testing to reduce the increasing incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, which leads to severe withdrawal symptoms for babies born to mothers who have been using opioids.

“We clearly have a lot to address but one of the goals of the task force was to present recommendations that we knew were achievable,” Calley said in a statement.

“By working with our partners in the state Legislature and the medical community, I am certain we can achieve the recommendations presented,” he added.